Have you ever visited a place that you've heard about and ordered from for years only to find that the place just didn't live up to the hype? I was fairly sure that Annie's Annuals couldn't be as wonderful as the catalogs made it look and was ready to say something like, "what a great nursery BUT..." Seems like the only big But(t) at Annie's was my own. Annie's is a magical place that is even better than the catalog makes it look. To make the visit even more special, we got to meet Annie herself and listen to her share her passion for growing unusual plants from seed without the use of growth regulators. This is a woman passionate about her trade and whose ebullient nature is infectious!
Here's Annie trying to make herself look younger for the camera. Really? Any younger and she'd be embryonic.
There was also some fun artwork!
Tithonia
Aeonium nobile, a plant that's a favorite in my own collection. It's monocarpic so it'll be sad when it blooms once and dies but it's a relief to know that Annie has some more waiting!
Greenovia aurea
In drought situations, Greenovia aurea curls up like the one in the middle of the picture. Isn't that adorable?
Huge Dyckia just outside the chapel.
Crassula capitella 'Red Pagoda' looks even better in person! This is worth bringing in for the winter!
Echeveria (elegans?)
The plant tables go on and on!
Annie's signage is very informative. Since I was flying back, I took lots of pictures of plants, tags, and signs. As you might imagine, there are more things in the nursery than what's in the printed catalogue. However, I was told that one could order non catalog items as well. Hooray!
Aloe, Aloe. Is anybody there?
Digiplexis - Coming next year.
Baby Cussonias.
Solanum quitoense, another of my faves!
Leave it to Annie to come up with a variegated form of Impatines niamniamensis! Purty!
Graptoveria 'Crested Form'
No idea. We'll call it "Assorted Succulent" like retailers sometimes do.
Aloe glauca
Denise having a Growing Obsession with Wachendorfia thyrsiflora.
Just hanging around.
It's a shame they're afraid of using color at Annie's!
From riotous carnival to subdued cottage garden in just a few steps. What's not to love?
These fine specimens of purple yucca drew a lot of attention from the group!
I'm not usually a fan of flowers that are simply beautiful being made into double monsters but this Cosmos 'Double Cranberry' was really quite nice.
This is a truly wonderful nursery! We could have spent a whole day here discovering lust-worth plants! This visit will be remembered fondly each time I unpack a box from Annie's!
Charming greeters hope you enjoyed your visit! BTW, did you miss this celosia?
I've had that graptoveria on my wish list for soooo long. I think you may have pushed me over. Your photos wonderfully capture the exuberance at Annie's!
ReplyDeleteIt was a very special treat to visit Annie's! You NEED that graptoveria!
DeleteWow, that was a fun visit and so nice to hear it's as good or better than the catalog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing all the possibilities.
Talk about plant obsession. Must..have..purple..yucca..now!
There was so much more that didn't get shown! Maybe you could visit next year just before you come up the coast to the Portland Fling? You should get a purple yucca! It would look great in your garden!
DeleteI always wonder whether the owners of garden centers have time for plants in their own personal gardens at home. For Annie I bet it would be overload with such an amazing place all day long!
ReplyDeleteSince most garden center owners got into the game because of a love of plants, I'll bet that many of them do have gardens at home.
DeleteYou've taken me back. What a fun visit made all the better by Annie herself being there to talk with us. After she spoke at an HPSO event she had me excited about plants I'd never given a second thought to...infectious enthusiasm for sure.
ReplyDeleteShe was as delightful as her nursery! What fun!
DeleteWhat a great picture of Annie! Embyronic - you crack me up. I snapped a photo of that digiplexis at Sunset and then when I was having trouble Googling it later, thought I had somehow misread the label. I guess there is also a straight up Digitalis 'Illumination' as well.
ReplyDeleteWonder what the benefits/drawbacks of each might be.
DeleteWhat a great post that takes me back. You got the infectious spirit right, and communicated it in your post too. I noticed as I wandered around the place looking at plants, I kept catching sight of you snapping photos and then rushing off to check out the next marvel! This place was an ADHD sufferer's nightmare (or maybe dream come true.)
ReplyDeleteIt was really difficult at Annie's to not just put the camera down ad enjoy discovering all of those plants but then there were all of the ones I needed to photograph so that they could be ordered later. So much to see!
DeleteEverything about this place screams "FUN". I love the shot of Annie doing the facelift thing. And despite my recent failures with crassulas, you have convinced me to give them another go.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried a crassula but that one looked way cool! The only thing that could have made Annie's any more fun is if you had been there too!
DeleteFunny art, lovely succulents, so many different plants. You're lucky to be able to visit so many different stunning places, Peter!
ReplyDeleteI'm very lucky to have been able to make this trip! California's extremely mild climate allows for an extremely large plant palette!
DeleteThere was an astounding variety of plants. I was very tempted to try to take back some of those compact Verbena bonariensis.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, you can order some!
DeleteYou captured the place perfectly, Peter. I also thought I might be let down because I don't do annuals, but nothing was farther from the truth. I found aisles and aisles of gorgeous native plants I wanted. And I have my catalog!
ReplyDeleteWe simply must go back with a car (or moving van) sometime!
DeleteThe fling must have been so fun, so many beautiful and fascinating places were visited like this one. I can almost feel the vibrancy of the place here :)
ReplyDeleteThe only way that it could have been more fun is if you were there too!
DeleteMost of the time, I get overwhelmed by the variety at nurseries and end up going home without ANYthing. I'm sure I would not have left empty-handed here. Mostly because the colorful art work would have slowed me down/captured my attention...
ReplyDeletemonocarpic. I learned a new word! Probably should have known about this category of plants, but I didn't.
It can be overwhelming and I wish I were more like you. Instead, I usually come home with one of everything that catches my eye which doesn't make for a very good garden!
DeleteWhat a great place!!!! I love all the succulents!
ReplyDeleteSucculents are some of my favorite plants too!
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